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NEW-ENGLAND 



HISTORIC GENEALOGICAL 



SOCIETY 



Incorporated 1845 




SOCIETY'S BUIL 

I 8 Somerset Str 
1905 




stanhope iprcss 

F. H. GILSON COMPANY 
BOSTON. U.S.A. 



New-England 
Historic Genealogical Society. 



HISTORY. 



The New-England Historic Genealogical Society 
was formed in 1844, "for the purpose of collecting, 
preserving, and publishing genealogical and histor- 
ical matter relating to New England famihes, and 
for the estabhshment and maintenance of a cabinet." 

Few genealogical books were printed in America 
prior to the founding of the Society. Since its 
incorporation, almost every genealogical work of 
consequence in America is traceable, either directly 
or indirectly, to the influence of the Society, which 
is the most important genealogical society in 
America. 

MEMBERSHIP. 

The Society consists of 8 Honorary Members, 
80 Corresponding Members, 255 Life Members, 
and 730 Resident Members. Resident Members 
pay five dollars on admission, and five dollars 
annually on the ist of January, and receive the 
New-England Historical and Genealogical Register. 

3 



4 NEW-ENGLAND HISTORIC 

Membership is not limited to residents of New 
England, and is open to women. 

Any member may become a Life Member and 
receive the Register, by the payment of fifty dollars 
at one time. Engraved certificates of membership 
are furnished if desired. Application for mem- 
bership should be made through some Life or 
Resident Member. In order to increase the num- 
ber of Life and Resident Members, blank forms 
for nominations will be furnished upon application 
to the Corresponding Secretary. 

MEETINGS. 

Stated meetings of the Society are held at i8 
Somerset Street, Boston, on the first Wednesday 
of every month, except from June to September, 
inclusive. At these meetings original papers and 
essays are read. 

NEW-ENGLAND HISTORICAL AND 
GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 

The New-England Historical and Genealogical 
Register is published by the Society quarterly in 
January, April, July, and October of each year. 

Each number contains ninety-six or more octavo 
pages of valuable and interesting matter concerning 
the History, Antiquities, Genealogy, and Biography 



GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY 5 

of America, with a portrait of some deceased mem- 
ber. 

Commenced in 1847, it is the oldest historical 
and genealogical periodical now published in this 
country^ and its contributors comprise a list of 
the most eminent and competent writers on gen- 
ealogy in New England, with many in other States 
and foreign countries. 

Terms of Subscription, three ($3.00) dollars per 
annum, in advance, commencing January; free to 
Resident Members paying five ($5.00) dollars an- 
nually, and to Life Members who have paid fifty 
($50.00) dollars at one time into the Life Member- 
ship Fund. 

A full set of the magazine sells at more than 
double the original subscription cost. 

OTHER PUBLICATIONS. 

At the present time the Society is publishing: — 
I. The Vital Records (Births, Marriages, and 
Deaths) of Massachusetts towns, from the date of 
incorporation to the end of the year 1849. These 
are printed by a fund of $20,000 set apart from the 
bequest of Robert Henry Eddy to the Society, and 
are sold to members and others, if ordered in ad- 
vance of publication, at the rate of one cent per 
printed page. Only a limited number of copies are 
printed. The type is then distributed, and the extra 



6 NEW-ENGLAND HISTORIC 

copies held on sale at a considerable advance on 
the subscription price. 

The Vital Records of Montgomery, Pelham, 
Walpole, Peru, Alford, Hinsdale, Medfield, Lee, 
Becket, Sudbury, Tyringham, Bedford, New Brain- 
tree, Great Barrington, Washington, Gill, Arhng- 
ton, Waltham, Chilmark, Bellingham, Palmer, 
Medway, and Newton, have been printed by the 
Society, and those of Edgartown, Norton, Medford, 
Sturbridge, Dracut, Middlefield, Heath, Scituate, 
West Stockbridge, Billerica, Weymouth, Holhston, 
Foxborough, Brookline, Tisbury, Granville, Hing- 
ham, Hopkinton, Dover, Townsend, Carver, Pem- 
broke, and Duxbury, are in course of preparation. 

An efifort is being made by the Society to induce 
the other New England States to print their early 
records of births, marriages, and deaths. 

2. Proceedings of the Annual Meetings, contain- 
ing obituary notices of deceased members, distrib- 
uted free to members of the Society and to all 
donors to the Library. 

3. Biographies of deceased members, prepared 
by the Society's Historian, and printed by the 
Towne Memorial Fund. 

4. A ConsoHdated Index of persons and places 
in the first fifty volumes of the New-England His- 
torical and Genealogical Register, in process of 
pubhcation. It will consist of five volumes the 
size of the present annual volumes of the Register. 



GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY 7 

5. Abstracts of Wills from the Prerogative Court 
of Canterbury, at Somerset House, London. The 
first volume, Register Soame, containing the wills of 
the year 1620, has over 600 pages, with about 40,000 
names of persons and 10,000 of places. The price 
is $6.00 per volume. To carry on this work success- 
fully, the Society should have a special fund of 
^10,000, donations to which are soHcited. 

Waters's "Genealogical Gleanings in England," 
the result of nearly twenty years' work, and costing 
nearly ^30,000, in two volumes, can still be sup- 
plied. 

The Society has undertaken to copy and arrange 
systematically all records of births, marriages, and 
deaths, from court files, early New England news- 
papers, church records, clergymen's and sexton's 
private records, gravestone inscriptions, and family 
Bibles ; but to do this work, special donations 
amounting to at least ^10,000 are needed. Some 
of these records should be printed. 

Stationery of a uniform character will be fur- 
nished free by the Librarian to members and 
others who will undertake any copying for the 
Society. 

The Society has taken steps to encourage the 
printing of indexes to all wills, deeds, and court 
files, and of the proprietors' records and town pro- 
ceedings of Massachusetts towns. 



8 NEW-ENGLAND HISTORIC 

LIBRARY. 

The Library of the Society is open daily (Sun- 
days and hoHdays excepted), from 8.30 a.m. to 
5.30 P.M., and is free to all. It contains many 
thousands of volumes, pamphlets, and manuscripts 
relating to New England families and locahties. 
The Library is consulted by from fifty to one 
hundred persons daily, some of whom come from 
distant places for this purpose, and assistance in 
the selections of books is cheerfully given by at- 
tendants. Members are allowed to consult books 
at the shelves. 

Donations of genealogical books are thankfully 
received. Recent genealogical publications pre- 
sented to the Library are notic'ed in the Register. 

BUILDING. 

The Society has been heavily taxed during recent 
years by the rapid and constant increase of interest 
in history and genealogy, and its building is no 
longer adequate for the proper use and display 
of its library and its cabinet of Colonial and Rev- 
olutionary relics, nor has it sufficient permanent 
funds for the maintenance of its Library and the 
prosecution of its work. If a new building is to be 
erected, at least ^150,000 in donations will be re- 
quired. 



GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY 9 

Any of the executive officers will be glad to ad- 
vise persons intending to give or bequeath money 
to the Society. 

AIDS TO GENEALOGICAL 
BEGINNERS. 

The following books of reference will be found 
useful in beginning genealogical research: — 

Munsell's "Genealogical Index." 
Savage's "Genealogical Dictionary." 
Pope's "Pioneers of Massachusetts." 
Hotten's "Lists of Early Passengers." 
Griffin's "Index to Local History." 
"New-England Historical and Genealogical 

Register," 58 vols. 
"Essex Institute Collections." 

The Society does not undertake research work ; 
but will, upon request, give the names of compe- 
tent professional genealogists. 

PUBLICATIONS OF THE SOCIETY 
FOR SALE. 

New-England Historical and Genealogical 

Register, Price list given on application. 

Memorial Biographies of 1 single vol. ^2.50 

Members, 5 vols. ) set 10.00 

Rolls of Membership .50 



TO 



NEW-ENGLAND HISTORIC 



Waters's Genealogical Gleanings in Eng- 
land, 2 vols, set 

Abstracts of Prerogative Court of Canter- 
bury Wills, Register Soame, 1620 

Montgomery Vital Records 

Pelham 

Walpole 

Peru 

Alford 

Hinsdale " 

Medfield 

Lee 

Becket 

Sudbury " 

T3rringliam " 

Bedford 

New Braintree " 

Washington " 

Gt. Barrington " 

Gill 

Arlington " 

Waltham 

Chilmark " 

Bellingham " 

Palmer " 

Medway " 

Newton " 

And others as published. 



i)IO.OO 

6.00 
1. 00 
2.25 

2-75 
1.50 

•50 
1.25 

3-25 
3.00 
1.25 

4-25 
1.50 

1-75 
2.25 

•75 
1.25 
1.25 
2.25 

3-75 
1.25 

2-75 
3.00 

4-5° 
6.50 



GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY II 

OFFICERS. 

The officers of the Society are a President ; a 
Vice-President for each of the New England States; 
a Recording Secretary; a Corresponding Secretary; 
a Treasurer, and a Librarian. 

The Council of fifteen members consists of the 
President, Vice-President for Massachusetts, the 
two Secretaries, the Treasurer, and the Librarian, 
and nine elective members, three of whom are 
elected annually for a term of three years. There 
is also an Historian and an Editor of PubHcations 
appointed by the Council. 

OFFICERS FOR 1905. 

President. 

Hon. James Phinney Baxter, A.M., LittD. .Portland, Me. 

Vice-Presidents. 

Caleb Benjamin Tillinghast, A.M. . . . Boston, Mass . 

William Davis Patterson Wiscasset, Me 

Jonathan Eastman Pecker, B.S. ..... Concord, N. H . 

Hon. Hoyt Henry Wheeler, LL.D. . . Brattleboro', Vt. 

Augustine Jones, A.B., LL.B Providence, R.I. 

James Junius Goodwin Hartford, Conn. 

Recording Secretary. 
George Augustus Gordon, A.M Somerville, Mass. 

Corresponding Secretary. 
Henry Winchester Cunningham, A.B., Manchester, Mass. 



12 NEW-ENGLAND HISTORIC 

Treasurer. 
Nathaniel Gushing Nash, A.M. . . . Cambridge, Mass 

Librarian. 

William Prescott Greenlaw '...... Sudbury, Mass. 

The Council. 

Ex-Officiis. 

Hon. James Phinney Baxter, A.M., Litt.D 
Caleb Benjamin Tillinghast, A.M. 
George Augustus Gordon, A.M. 
Henry Winchester Cunningham, A.B. 
Nathaniel Gushing Nash, A.M. 
William Prescott Greenlaw. 

For 190 j. 

Nathaniel Johnson Rust Boston, Mass. 

William Tracy Eustis Brookline, Mass. 

Albert Matthews, A.B Boston, Mass. 

For 1905, 1906. 

William Taggard Piper, A.M., Ph.D. . Cambridge, Mass. 
RuFus George Frederick Candage. . . Brookline, Mass. 
William Richard Cutter, A.M Wobum, Mass. 

For 190 j, 1906, 19O/'. 

Benjamin Barstow Torrey Hanover, Mass. 

Mary Alice Keach Providence, R.I. 



GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY 13 

OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES FOR 1905. 

APPOINTED BY THE COUNCIL. 

Historian. 

Rev. George Moulton Adams, D.D Aubxrmdale. 

Editor of Publications. 
Henry Ernest Woods, A.M Boston. 

Committee on Finance. 

James Phinney Baxter, A.M., Litt.D., Chairman 

Portland, Me. 
Henry Winchester Cunningham, A.B. . . . Manchester- 

Nathaniel Johnson Rust Boston. 

William Taggard Piper, A.M., Ph. D Cambridge. 

Nathaniel Cushing Nash, A.M Cambridge. 

Committee on Real Estate. 

James Phinney Baxter, A.M., Litt.D., Chairman 

Portland, Me. 

Nathaniel Johnson Rust Boston. 

Edmund Dana Barbour Boston. 

Henry Winchester Cunningham, A.B. . . . Manchester. 
Thomas Hills Boston. 

Committee on the Library. 

George Brown Knapp, A.M., Chairman Boston. 

Helen Frances Kimball Brookline. 

Myles Standish, A.M., M.D Boston. 

Joseph Gardner Bartlett Boston. 

William Prescott Greenlaw, ex-officio .... Sudbury- 



14 NEW-ENGLAND HISTORIC 

Committee on Publications. 

Caleb Benjamin Tillinghast, A.M, Chairman . . Boston. 

Don Gleason Hill, A.M., LL.B Dedham. 

Charles ELnowles Bolton, A.B Brookline. 

Francis Everett Blake Boston. 

Edmund Dana Barbour Boston. 

Committee on Papers and Essays. 

Albert Alonzo Folsom, Chairman Brookline. 

Charles Darwin Elliot Somerville. 

William Theophilus Rogers Marvin, A.M. . Long wood. 

Committee to Assist the Historian. 

Wllliam Richard Cutter, A.M., Chairman. . . . Woburn. 

Rev. Silvanus Hayward, D.D Southbridge. 

Rev. Anson Titus Somerville. 

William Sweetzer Heywood Boston. 

Andrew Fiske, LL.B., Ph.D Weston. 

Rev. Charles Edward Beals Cambridge. 

Abram English Brown Bedford. 

Committee on English Research. 

Charles Sherburne Penhallow, A.B., Chairman. Boston. 

Francis Apthorp Foster Falmouth. 

Benjamin Barstow Torrey Hanover. 

Committee on Heraldry. 

Henry Ernest Woods, A.M., Chairman Boston. 

Francis Apthorp Foster Falmouth. 

BoYLSTON Adams Beal, A.B., LL.B Nahant. 



GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY 15 

Committee on Epitaphs. 

John Albree, Jr., Chairman Swampscott. 

Charles Sidney Ensign, LL.B Newton. 

John Bliss Braenerd, M.D Brookline. 

Mrs. Nellie Chamberlain Pray Boston. 

RuFus George Frederick Candage Brookline. 

Coraimittee on Collection of Records. 

Arthur Greene Loring, Chairman Woburn. 

Albert Matthews, A.B Boston. 

Mrs. Ida Louise Farr Mh-ler Wakefield. 

Theodore Studley Lazell, A.B Boston. 

Stephen Paschall Sharples, S.B Cambridge. 

William Prescott Greenlaw Sudbury. 

Committee on Consolidated Index. 

Francis Apthorp Foster, Chairman Falmouth . 

William Prescott Greenlaw Sudbury. 

Nathaniel Gushing Nash, A.M Cambridge 

Committee on Sale of Publications. 

Caleb Benjamin Tillinghast, A.M., Chairman. . Boston. 

Henry Ernest Woods, A.M Boston. 

Henry Winchester Cunningham, A.B. . . . Manchester. 

George Augustus Gordon, A.M Somerville. 

William Prescott Greenlaw Sudbury. 

FINANCIAL NEEDS OF THE SOCIETY. 

The attention of all persons interested in historical 
and genealogical research is called to the following 
estimate of the financial needs of the Society: 



1 6 NEW-ENGLAND HISTORIC 

For a new five-story fire-proof 
Library building, with a hall 
to seat 300 persons, stack room 
for 250,000 books, and a read- 
ing room for 80 readers (tenta- 
tive plans can now be seen at 
the Society's rooms, and sug- 
gestions are invited) $60,000 

Library fixtures, furniture, etc. 30,000 

Land, 5,000 square feet, pur- 
chased, but not yet paid for 30,000 j? 120,000 

For addition to permanent fund, 
for purchase and binding of 
books, and increased expenses 
for care of a new building 
(calling for $3,000 additional 
income per annum) 7Sj000 

For copying records of births, 
marriages, and deaths from 
court files, church records, 
clergymen's and undertakers' 
private records, graveyard in- 
scriptions and family bibles 10,000 

For preparing and printing a 
catalogue of the 60,000 books 
and pamphlets belonging to 
the Society 8,000 



GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY 



17 



For Alphabetical Abstracts or 
Digest of personal items in the 
Boston News-Letter and other 
New England newspapers, 
from 1704 to 1815, estimated 
to be equal to 8,000 printed 
pages 

For Genealogical research in 
England, a permanent fund of 

For printing Abstracts of Wills 
from the Prerogative Court of 
Canterbury, England 

For printing an Index to the first 
50 volumes of the New-Eng- 
land Historical and Genea- 
logical Register 

For estimated loss in printing 
Vital Records to 1850 of Mas- 
sachusetts towns 



$ 6,000 
15,000 



7,000 



5,000 



The Treasurer, Nathaniel C. Nash, 18 Som- 
erset St., Boston, and all other ofl&cers of the 
Society will be glad to advise persons intending 
to give or bequeath money to the Society. 



FORM FOR A BEQUEST. 



I give, devise and bequeath to the New-England Historic 
Genealogical Society, a corporation duly incorporated by the 
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and located in the City of 

Boston in said Commonwealth, the sum of 

dollars for the general purposes of said Society. 

(//' it is the devisor^s intention that the stun bequeathed 
shall be devoted to any particular object, it should be clearly 
and definitely stated.) 



2S15 CONGRESS 




013 995 014 8 




